There is no reason why anyone in Canada would want to see more of a surplus of cheap food flood into our grocery stores and onto our tables. We have systems in place to protect our local farmers and the bully down south wants to rip into our economy, dump cheap milk products and claim our steel and aluminum is a national security threat adding high tariffs while he holds hands with nasty dictators and makes enemies with allies.

Buying local is not just about not buying imported food, it is about realizing the need to protect the parts of our food industry that have the most sensitivities. If we do not protect our dairy farmers, the flood gates will open to the US, and we will certainly loose most of our dairy farmers. Is there a difference between Canadian milk and US milk, you read and decide. We have a smaller economy to take care of, it’s not like we can grow avocados here.

Now all of you know I am not a big milk/dairy girl…mostly by choice. Living with food sensitivities to all dairy products and having a daughter who is anaphylactic to dairy does not help but I have friends who are in the dairy industry, who are protected from a glut of cheap imported dairy/dairy products and I support them. I may not eat dairy if at all rarely but many of you do. It is always best to know where your food comes from and form that connection. This is an important piece of our economy, if we allow the un-American to rip into our dairy industry, what is next? It is important that your dollars stay here in Canada when it comes to your food, as much as possible.

I am sure if the un-American was to be nice, work together with its allies, one may open the door of discussion for some change but as you can see its a one way street, lacking trust and stability. He wants to flip the world on it’s head only because he is the one that is un-American, hoping to Americanize us….he has an underlying agenda. You cannot be that big of a bully and expect everyone to embrace your behavior and simply give in to a dictator approach.

This is a great time to spoil yourself and indulge, buy locally raised and organic poultry and meats. Nothing wrong with Organic Salmon or a Red Snapper or two and of course roasted with local beer.

Finally I can drink Baily’s again, they have their dairy-free version Bailys Almande that has been difficult to find….but I got a bottle and will gratefully enjoy this festive drink this Christmas! I know many of you cannot do the dairy so this is a great substitute.

And on that note, last night I indulged on some really tasty brew with my friends , brewed locally right here in my backyard.

Caledon Hills Brewery, as they say…

The Riedelsheimer Family brews from their heart. Thank you Stefan, Monica, Sebastian and Christian for taking the time to create a craft beer that makes you want to share it with everyone!

What is Murphy’s Law? A supposed law of nature? Anything that can go wrong will go wrong?

Well not in this case, Ben Murphy whom I met through another business of mine is a young entrepreneur who started distilling moonshine in 2015 here in Ontario, Elmira that is, not too far from my house.

Ben started out on his career path as a police officer but after a match of boxing he lost his hearing in one year and could no longer continue down that path. He said when he was in West Virginia everyone there including their mothers was making moonshine, so it was not hard to learn the process and techniques that make a really good moonshine. However since the police have cracked down on the making of illegal moonshine in West Virginia he decided to start a legal business up here in Canada after he graduated in 2015, called Murphy’s Law Distillery Ltd.

He has won several awards for his moonshine, bronze for Apple, Carmel and White Lightening Moonshine and most recently a silver for his Lady Maple.

I have known Ben for some time now and he is a modest kind of guy who uses local ingredients in his recipes. You all know how much I love local ingredients and thought I may share with you a product-one of a kind as he is the only first and only distillery of its kind here in Ontario.

Just the other day he dropped off some Apple Pie and Lady Maple for us to try. The moonshine mixes easily with ginger ale, soda or as it is, raw and delicious!

As for Murphy’s Law, a lot has gone really great for Ben, you can find his products at several LCBO’s and online or at his location in Elmira. And not where anything can go wrong but where anything can happen….

Check out your local LCBO or visit Ben for your taste of locally distilled “moonshine”